The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the 12 inductees in the Class of 2023 to be celebrated during this year’s Enshrinement festivities on August 11-12, which includes Pau Gasol.
Joining Pau as an inductee for this class:
This year’s North American Committee inductees (in alphabetical order):
Gene Bess - All-time winningest college coach (1,300), 2-time NJCAA Coach of the Year
Pau Gasol - 6-time All-Star, 2-time NBA champion, 2002 Rookie of the Year
David Hixon - 826 wins, 2-time D3 national champion, 2-time D3 Coach of the Year
Gene Keady – 6-time NCAA Coach of the Year, 17 NCAA Tournament appearances
Dirk Nowitzki - 14-time All-Star, 2006-07 MVP, 2011 NBA Champion
Tony Parker - 6-time All-Star, 4-time NBA champion, 2007 Finals MVP
Gregg Popovich - Winningest coach in NBA history, 3-time NBA Coach of the Year, 5-time NBA champion
Dwyane Wade - 13-time All-Star, 3-time NBA champion, 2006 Finals MVP
This year’s Women’s Committee inductees (in alphabetical order):
Gary Blair - 852 wins, 2011 National Champion, 2-time Final Four participant
Becky Hammon - 6-time WNBA All-Star, 2-time First-Team All-WNBA recipient
This year’s Direct Elect Committee inductees (in alphabetical order):
1976 Women’s Olympic Basketball Team (Women’s Veterans) – Silver medalists in inaugural appearance for Women’s Olympic Basketball
Jim Valvano (Contributor) – 1983 NCAA Champion, created The V Foundation for Cancer Research
PAU GASOL [Player] – The 2002 NBA Rookie of the Year, the first non-American to win the award, garnered six All-Star selections (2006, ’09-11, ’15-16) and four All-NBA team accolades during his 18-year NBA career. Gasol won back-to-back NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009-10 and was the fourth player in league history with 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 3,500 assists and 1,500 blocks. The Barcelona, Spain, native boasted an equally distinguished international career, winning three Olympic medals (silver in 2008, ’12 and bronze in 2016) and, in 2017, became EuroBasket’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing fellow finalist Tony Parker. Gasol also led the Spanish national team to a FIBA World Championship title in 2006, where he was named the competition’s Most Valuable Player, and a EuroBasket tournament crown in 2009 and ’11. He was the highest-scoring player in in the 2004 Olympics and was Spain’s flag bearer at the Opening Ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Games. Gasol had his No. 16 retired by the Lakers on March 7.